20 
PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 
1915 
A short “ avenue ” of stones in parallel lines leads out from the Great 
Circle towards the E.N.E. and probably indicates a sunrise bearing on some 
agriculturally important day of the year. 
The North-East Circle is near the Great Circle, and is thus named on 
account of its position in relation to that Circle. It has a diameter of 97 feet 
and is constituted by eight large and massive blocks of silicified breccia, one 
of which (if indeed it does not represent more than one) is broken and re- 
cumbent. From this circle, too, there runs a short “ avenue ” bearing a little 
south of E., in which one stone is of Inferior Oolite. 
The South-West Circle lies at a distance of 237 yards to the S.W., has a 
diameter of 145 feet, and is constituted by twelve smaller stones, most of 
them of the same silicified rock ; but one is of slightly altered Dolomitic 
Conglomerate, and one of sandstone. 
Near Stanton Drew Church, about 180 yards W. by N. of the South-West 
Circle is a dolmen known as “ The Cove,” composed of the relatively unaltered 
breccia, one of the uprights of which is loj feet high, 7J feet broad, and 2 feet 
thick. 
” The Quoit ” is a large recumbent sandstone megalith, situated near 
the road at a distance of about 618 yards to the N.E. of the ‘‘ Great Circle ; 
and two smaller oolitic stones lie 1,100 yards N. by E. of that circle, in a 
field known as the Middle Ham. On Broadfield Down about 6J miles distant 
is a dolmen (” The Waterstone ”) bearing a little N. of West. 
These megalithic remains are undoubtedly very ancient, but opinions 
differ as to the race by whom they were placed in their present position. By 
some they are regarded as the work of the Neolithic Mediterranean race who 
were in possession of England before the Celtic incursion. By others they 
are ascribed to these later Bronze folk invaders. 
As to their purpose, by some they are regarded as temples. Others 
look upon them as burial places. The view, however, that is gaining ground 
is that they are connected with astronomical observations of guiding value to 
a people whose practical interests were agricultural. 
In this connection it will be convenient to give the dimensions, distances 
between centres, probable number of constituent stones, and compass bearings, 
as recorded in the able monograph on Stanton Drew, by C. W. Dymond, Esq., 
F.S.A. 
Bearings and distances : — 
Great Circle to N.E. Circle 
S.W. „ 
,, ,, Cove 
,, ,, Quoit 
,, ,, Middle Ham 
S.W. Circle Cove 
Axis of Great Circle Avenue 
N E 
It may be noted :■ — 
N.54°I5'E„ 398 ft. 
S.2i°4o'W., 712 ft. 
S.53°45'W., 988 ft. 
N.I9°3o'E., 1856 ft. 
N.83 °i5'W., 3305 ft. 
N.8 i°45'W., 542 ft. 
N.7 o°E. 
S.79°E. 
1. — That the centre of the Great Circle, that of the S.W. circle and that 
of the quoit, are nearly in the same straight line. (Angle 177° 50'.) 
2. — That the Cove, the centre of the great circle, and that of the N.E. 
circle, are nearly in the same straight line. (Angle 179° 30'.) 
3. — That the line joining the centre of the S.W. circle with the Cove is 
nearly parallel with that joining the centre of the great circle and the Middle 
Ham Stones. (Angle 1° 30'.)* 
I These notes on the Stanton Drew Cireles are derived from Prof. C. Lloyd Morgan’s contribu- 
tions to the programme of the Annual Summer Meeting of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archasological 
Society at Wells and Glastonbury, June 3rd-5th, 1913, and “ Excursions,” British .\ssociation, 
Bristol, 1898. 
